Snow, Merlot, and Mistletoe
by ayafangirl
Summary: Let's pretend I actually published this before Christmas like I originally planned. Right. A fluffy Gorillaz Christmas one-shot with gratuitous 2doc. Set sometime in Phase 2.


_A/N: Hello, kids, and welcome to another addition of my crappy contributions to the 2doc fandom! I'm sorry that this is no longer seasonably appropriate. Due to Personal Issues, I couldn't publish this closer to Christmas, but for anyone still desperately clinging to any remaining vestiges of holiday spirit, here you go!_

 _Or, if you're just looking for some 2doc fluff, here you go!_

 _As ever, I apologize for the crappy quality. It's jumpy, adverb-laden, and being as I'm not actually English, this is probably a dreadfully inaccurate depiction of the Christmas holiday. So if the Christmas songs and traditions listed here aren't actually traditional outside of the capitalist Hallmark-card pseudo-religious holiday that I've grown up with here in good old 'Murica, I apologize for the discrepancy._

 _Nonetheless, this was hella fun to write, and I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review, and I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and new year!_

Snow, Merlot, and Mistletoe

9:37

It's early. Unusually early. Impossibly early, actually. But all four members of the Gorillaz are awake. Noodle, in her absolutely manic excitement, has been up for hours and finally loses her patience, waking up her three "brothers" to celebrate Christmas with her.

The first thing Murdoc does is rush to the window. 2D follows closely behind him, eager to see the bassist's face as he pulls back the blinds in the sitting room…

to reveal a cloudy, snowless landscape.

Murdoc's face falls, and 2D instantly has a reassuring hand rubbing his shoulder soothingly.

"It may still happen, mate," he murmurs gently.

Murdoc stares at the barren landscape a bit longer.

"Yeah," he finally agrees, peeling his eyes from the window and turning his attention to Noodle.

10:15

Ordinarily Russel would want them to eat something a little more balanced for breakfast. But it is Christmas, after all. So he just smiles as Noodle and 2D down hot chocolate in their matching snowman mugs, nearly sloshing whipped cream and semi-dissolved marshmallows all over the place. That and a plate of cookies hardly constitute breakfast, but he can't bring himself to argue because they look so damn happy. He sips his coffee in silent contentment, allowing them this pleasantry, and reaching for a cookie himself because why the hell not, it's Christmas.

Murdoc also sticks to coffee, not a fan of sweets, even around the holidays. His gaze lingers of the liquor cabinet, and at one point he moves to get up, but 2D's hand lands on his arm and squeezes gently.

"Please, no," he whispers. "Not today. Please?"

Murdoc stares into 2D's huge, dark eyes, nods, and sits back down and continues to sip his coffee.

10:54

The living room is a mess of wrapping paper, stray pieces of tape, and empty cardboard boxes. Tchaikovsky plays on the stereo. Presents have been a huge success this year. In spite of the fact that the four bandmates spend most of their time bickering, they enjoy spoiling each other rotten when the time comes. Noodle lays in a contented heap on the floor, about a dozen decorative bows stuck in her frizzy hair. She giggles, squeezing the dragon stuffed animal that 2D bought for her close and not bothering to wipe the smears of chocolate from her mouth.

2D and Murdoc cuddle on the settee, exchanging soft kisses on the cheek and half-whispered sweet nothings in the ear.

"The rest of your present you'll be getting later," Murdoc informs him, fingers squeezing 2D's leg just above the knee, making the younger man shiver and smile.

"Alrigh'. I look forward to it…"

"As much as I'd love to just relax here all day," Russel says, setting the lid back onto the box of Diamanté shoes that were custom ordered to fit his big feet, "we have guests coming later and y'all _insisted_ that you wanted to decorate Kong today. So get your butts moving!"

13:11

Noodle lets out a yelp as she falls from a doorway, only to be caught by Russel just in time. With a sigh, he sets her down, watching her immediately scamper off, tinsel dragging behind her like a long tail, to find another place to balance from precariously whilst decorating. Russel looks around, annoyed to see that neither the vocalist nor the bassist has been paying any attention to her dangerous antics.

"Yo, you two think you could keep an eye on Noodle when I leave the room for two minutes?"

"I'm busy with the lights!" Murdoc snaps. "Look at this bloody tree! Gonna be the brightest one in all of Essex, maybe in all of the northern hemisphere!"

"That's a fire hazard," Russel responds. "Cool it with the lights, Murdoc. You keep that up, the tree'll catch on fire."

He gets a grunt in response, and Murdoc continues to throw loops of multi-colored lights around the absurdly large tree they set up a few days ago. Meanwhile, 2D has been in the process of cutting up paper snowflakes and taping them to the walls. Between the poor quality of the snowflakes, the haphazard arrangement he's created along the hallway, and the way his tongue sticks out of the corner of his mouth in utmost concentration, he looks more like a boy than a man.

"C'mon, 'D," Russel says. "You can help me and Noodle decorate the lobby so everyone sees how nice Kong looks as soon as they come in."

"Okay, one sec," he answers, reaching into a bag and grabbing some tape. Russel watches curiously as he slips behind Murdoc and the 700-watt tree. Using a stepping stool, he reaches up and tapes something to the ceiling right by the tree. The bassist doesn't look up, but just as 2D clambers down and rushes towards the lobby, face flushed, Russel glimpses a sprig of mistletoe.

16:45

"Merry Christmas!" Damon is already tipsy, sing-songy, and in a huggy-kissy mood. Never a good sign. Noodle takes his and Jamie's coats and vacates before she can fall victim to his affectionate snogging. 2D, who has always been the closest to their friend and manager, is not so lucky, and gets a mouthful of the drunken lead singer for Blur. Murdoc shoves Damon off with a jealous glare, and offers a curt nod to Jamie, who attempts to pry his friend and business partner back a bit.

Damon and Jamie are the first to arrive, but they're followed soon after by various collaborators and a few individuals they never got to collaborate with but wanted to. MF Doom brings a fruitcake, De La Soul come dressed as the three kings, bearing champagne, cigars, and a Vespa for Noodle. There's even rumors Lady Gaga might be stopping by, but no one can confirm who started that rumor.

Within an hour, the party is in full swing, everyone is making merry, and the Gorillaz are feeling quite satisfied with their Christmas-party throwing abilities.

17:33

2D has been pacing around the Christmas tree, red solo cup of lukewarm merlot in his hand, watching for Murdoc. Unfortunately, the attention-loving bass player has been running all over the place, making himself the light of the party. The bright side is that he's so busy talking he's hardly been drinking. 2D shifts nervously, wondering if he should just approach the bass player. Suddenly, Shaun Ryder enters, shedding his winter coat.

"Sorry I'm late," he says, thick Manchester accent making them smile. "Roads are bad. Snow's really comin' down heavy now."

"It's _snowing_?!" Murdoc asks, eyes growing wide. Without another word, he rushes past Shaun and takes off, running full-speed down the hallways.

 _He's not even going to think to grab a jacket_ , 2D realizes, and he sets his cup down and rushes off after Murdoc, stopping in the vestibule to grab his winter coat, and then Murdoc's. He throws the door open, and is greeted by a blast of cold air and flakes of snow.

17:40

It's already dark out, but lights on the outside of Kong allow 2D to make out the light dusting of white that is already covering the property. Big, fluffy flakes continue to fall down heavily, swirling and spiraling in the wind. The singer's breath hangs before him in tiny clouds. It's cold. It's beautiful.

Murdoc has wandered off, but it doesn't take long to find him. He stands in the middle of the yard, neck craned and face tilted straight up into the sky. 2D steps closer and feels his heart skip: Murdoc's face is lit up with pure, childlike wonder. His eyes are impossibly wide, and his smile has split his face in two. The singer approaches slowly, gently draping Murdoc's jacket around his slim shoulders. The shorter man starts slightly and turns back to look up at 2D.

"Beautiful, huh?" 2D says.

"Yeah. Blood magnificent." He slides his arms through the holes of his jacket and starts to zip it up. "You're always looking out for me, aren't you, mate?"

The singer senses that he means more than just the jacket. "…always, Murdoc," he says.

He can't think of any more words to say—he was never as fucking loquacious as Murdoc—so he continues to stare at the bass player staring at snow as it falls silently around him. Their breath hangs in tiny clouds in clouds before their lips.

After a while, 2D shivers in spite of the thick winter jacket he's wearing. Murdoc notices.

"We should go back inside," he says, turning back towards Kong and linking arms with 2D to lead him inside. "Oh. Hey, 'D…"

He grips the lapels of 2D's jacket and gently tugs him down, rising on his tip-toes to press a gentle, chilly kiss to the singer's cheek.

The taller man hums softly and closes his eyes, processing the feeling of the snow descending in whispered kisses around them, the feeling of Murdoc's dry lips and rough stubble pressing against his flesh, the tug to his front because Murdoc is not one to let go until he's damn well ready.

After what feels like far too short a time, he's being released, and Murdoc is walking back to Kong, cheeks a bit flushed from the uncharacteristic affection.

2D touches his cheek. He looks at the sky. He heads back inside to the promise of warmth.

18:01

2D is back by the Christmas tree, though his red plastic cup has been swapped out for a candy cane. He's not overly fond of the taste of peppermint, and he doesn't know why he's even eating it.

Murdoc is still socializing and making merry. He's yet to look in 2D's direction. The singer feels his cheeks flush hot when the bassist starts making his way close, eyes intent on him. He opens his mouth to say something witty or flirty or charming, but he's Stuart Pot and those are all hard adjectives to aspire to. As ever, Murdoc beats him to it:

" _There_ you are! I need you, quick!"

2D's heart pounds. He leans closer to Murdoc…

"You. Albarn. Christmas carol sing-off right now!"

"Wait…wot?"

18:18

In spite of his disappointment with Murdoc's obtuseness, the sing-off proves to be a great idea. Damon is quite drunk, and even so, he still sings like a damn lark. What's more, he's got better moves than 2D, and bops around like he's on stage even though he's only performing to Murdoc, 2D, Jamie, and a scattering of amused guests, whose applause seems to indicate who's winning each round of singing, be it "Jingle Bell Rock" or "Christmas Rap."

They're neck and neck with their similar-sounding voices, but a few bars into "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," 2D realizes that peppermint and warm merlot were not a good combination to put in his stomach. He drops the mic he's been holding from the karaoke machine Noodle got as a Christmas present and proceeds to rush to the nearest garbage can to hurl up the churning contents of his stomach.

The sing-off goes to Damon, who in his tipsy excitement turns to Jamie and hugs him before diving in for a snog in classic Albarn style.

Jamie doesn't seem to know whether to be pleased or horrified, and settles on snapping at Murdoc that he owes him 20 quid. The bass player flips him the v-sign and heads over to make sure 2D is ok.

Already feeling much better (though his mouth still tastes like fucking peppermint), 2D apologizes, swearing he didn't mean to make Murdoc lose the bet.

"It's fine," the shorter man grumbles, rubbing the singer's shoulder. "'S'long's you're alright, yeah?"

"'M much better now. Think it'll be tea and toast for the rest of the night for me though."

Murdoc chuckles at that. "Poor lad!"

2D can't help but join in laughing. "You're a sodding sod for betting on me without telling me!"

"At least I ain't a faceache!"

"At least I ain't a pickle!"

"I'll drink to that," Murdoc chirps, grabbing a plastic cup and pouring himself some heavily-spiked punch.

"Of course you will," 2D sighs, a little disappointed. He walks away, leaving the bassist wondering what he's done wrong.

21:30

2D has resumed his station by the tree, mainly because he doesn't want to be social anymore. He watches from afar as Noodle falls asleep on the couch, Russel begins cleaning up trash between clips of witty banter with friends, and guests slowly but surely start clearing out, either off to other parties or to start sleeping off the drinking of the holiday season.

Murdoc strides into the room. His eyes instantly find 2D, and he offers him a tipsy half-smile. When 2D doesn't have the patience to return it, he realizes something is wrong and heads over.

Once again, words fail the singer as the shorter man comes to stand before him, inquisitive look on his face.

"Wot? Why're you sitting here being an antisocial ponce, Dents?"

"N-no reason," he mumbles, eyes on his shoes.

"You've been hiding out here, avoiding the party all night! Did I do something wrong?" The question is a sign of how far the bassist has come: years, even months prior, he would never consider the possibility of being culpable for anything.

"No, Murdoc! It's fine. Just…wish you were a little more observant," he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Murdoc's eyes narrow slightly. He looks 2D up and down, gaze lingering on the singer's flushed cheeks. Finally, _finally_ , his gaze lifts just over the singer's head, where a sprig of mistletoe hangs dutifully. His confused expression melts into a look of sheer amusement.

"Oh, mate," he chuckles.

"Muds!" Damn, he's blushing like a schoolgirl. He never meant to be so emotional.

"All night you've been waitin' here—"

"Muds, _stooop_ ,"

"—so I would come by—"

"Ugh!" he covers his face in shame.

A pair of callused hands are suddenly on top of his own, and when he allows Murdoc to pry them from his face, his breath hitches because Murdoc has moved forward silently and he's right there, balanced on the balls of his feet to compensate a bit for their height difference.

"—and kiss you."

"Y-yeah. Okay?" He asks, defeated.

"You're too much," Murdoc says fondly, and 2D isn't sure if that's a bad thing or not.

But he doesn't have much time to worry, because in the next instant, Murdoc is swooping in to give him the softest, most delicate kiss he's ever received. His lips taste faintly of the rum in the punch he's been drinking, and the singer's lips tingle at the sensation, desperate for more of the taste. Both of Murdoc's hands cup 2D's face, and 2D moves to reciprocate somehow, gangly arms shooting around to wrap around the bassist's back to keep him close, his spine arched back slightly as he leans up to kiss the taller man. 2D loves feeling Murdoc like that: entire body inclined up as he devotes himself entirely to worshipping the singer's lips.

"Merry Christmas, luv." The bassist rasps when he finally pulls back, eyes a bit hazy from their passionate snog.

"M…merry Christmas, Muds," he answers dumbly, feeling impossibly satisfied with himself as Murdoc sinks back down to his small stature, body still pressed slightly against 2D's.

2:31

Christmas is over. Kong is blanketed cozily under a few inches of snow. Most guests have made their way home. Others have passed out in guest rooms, on couches, even on floors.

2D's fingertips skim over lace and heated flesh.

"You're stunning."

"Hm…."

"I must've been a really good boy this year to deserve such a gift."

"Y-you were, yeah."

"Murdoc."

" _Mm_ …"

"Murdoc."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Murdoc looks up at 2D, smiling languidly. "I love you too, Stu." His breath hitches as 2D's nails scratch over his skin lightly, but he only arches his lingerie-clad body up into the touch for more. Black satin and lace intersect over his skin, leaving just enough to the imagination and making every square inch of bare flesh tantalizing to the singer. Once they finally got the chance, they bid their Goodnights and Merry Christmases and retired to 2D's room so the bassist could give him one last present.

"Can't wait to see how you outdo yourself for New Years," the taller man teases while leaning down for a kiss and tracing the garter on Murdoc's thigh.

"Reckon it'll be your turn to dress up for me then, bluebird," he responds against his lips. "But you're getting ahead of yourself. This night isn't over."

"Christmas ended two hours ago, Muds."

"Oh?" He glances at the clock. "So it did. Pity. Merry Christmas all the same."

"Same to you."

"And to all a good night!"

"Oh, I'm betting on that, Muds." 2D winks and resumes kissing him.

For once, Murdoc has nothing more to add. He smiles and closes his eyes.


End file.
